Corps to maintain status quo on flows from Lake Okeechobee

Published Aug. 11, 2016

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District will continue discharges from Lake Okeechobee at the current rates that have been in place since mid-July.

The target flow for the Caloosahatchee Estuary remains at a seven-day average of 2,800 cubic feet per second (cfs) as measured at W.P. Franklin Lock & Dam (S-79) located near Fort Myers.  The target flow for the St. Lucie Estuary remains at a seven-day average of 650 cfs as measured at St. Lucie Lock & Dam (S-80) near Stuart. The Corps will continue releasing water from the lake in a “pulse” fashion which means flows will vary during the seven-day release period. Additional runoff from rain in the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie basins could occasionally result in flows that exceed targets.

“The lake has started rising again,” said Candida Bronson, Acting Operations Division Chief for the Jacksonville District.  “With the peak of hurricane season approaching, we need to continue releasing water so the lake is in the best position possible to deal with additional rain.”

Today, the lake stage is 14.75 feet, up 0.13 feet over the past week.  The lake is currently in the Operational Low Sub-Band as defined by the 2008 Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS).  Under current conditions, LORS authorizes the Corps to discharge up to 3,000 cfs to the Caloosahatchee and up to 1,170 cfs to the St. Lucie. 

For more information on water level and flows data for Lake Okeechobee, visit the Corps’ water management website at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/WaterManagement.aspx

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Contact
John Campbell
904-232-1004
john.h.campbell@usace.army.mil

Release no. 16-061